TRANSFORMING DOWNTOWN DELAFIELD

Once a tired gas station, 705 Genesee is ready to transform into a true live, work and play destination. Situated on a prime corner in downtown Delafield, the one-acre site will consist of two four-story buildings containing retail, residential, office and a food hall.

The $25 million project includes 87 underground parking stalls to service the residential and office users, 34 surface parking stalls for the public, an 8,000-sq.-ft. food hall, 12,000 sq. ft. of additional retail and restaurant space, 24,000 sq. ft. of office space, and 24 residential units. 

*Economic impact estimated using Three Rivers Model and most recent data from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis' RIMS II database for the Milwaukee-Waukesha MSA.

The property is currently zoned CBD-1, a zoning code that allows for most retail and office uses, as well as residential on floors above ground level. The purpose of the CBD-1 is to allow higher density uses to enable the downtown to thrive and be the center of activity. The proposed project requires a conditional use permit for two aspects of the project in order to proceed. The proposed project varies slightly from the current zoning code for the height and the design.

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• HEIGHT

  • CBD-1 zoning allows for a building of up to three stories, which can cover the entire site.

  • Covering the entire site allows enough building area to make the project feasible, but at the expense of surface parking for the tenants and customers.

  • A better design and the one we’re proposing is to bring the building up to four stories, which allows the project to be feasible while providing parking for the public.

  • Additionally, the scale of the project is in line with nearby properties based on both number of stories and total height.

• DESIGN

  • The current zoning code stipulates the materials and general design required of all new projects. The charm of downtown Delafield is in part due to these design guidelines, though they may be over-restrictive.

  • After many discussions with the public, we believed there was a strong demand for a project that had a new look to it, but would still fit in to the city at the same time. That’s why we’ve chosen to go with a slightly different architecture style while pulling in materials from the surrounding buildings downtown.

  • There are several instances downtown where the design guidelines were strayed from slightly to allow for different architectural styles to cohesively fill the streetscapes.

  • The architectural style of the new development pays homage the Midwestern ideal by incorporating elements from the Commercial (Chicago) architectural style of the 1920s-30s.

  • Architectural character is not just about style but also experience. Our building enhances the pedestrian experience through the creation of a 20-ft.-wide outdoor semi-public zone along Genesee St.

  • Underground parking helps in preserving the downtown Delafield vernacular without building a large parking structure.

  • The residential building uses large operable windows and clad balconies as some if its character-defining traits, similar in style to an adaptive reuse of an old turn-of-the-century warehouse.

We’re proud to hear such positive feedback in the community regarding this proposed project and we’re ready to help move Delafield forward. A new group, Delafield Citizens for Responsible Growth, was recently formed to help further economic development in the city. The group consists of citizens of Delafield and local business owners who want to ensure there’s responsible and positive economic growth in the city. We met with the group to present what we’re proposing for the site and we were fortunate to gain their unanimous support.  

In addition to gaining the support of Delafield Citizens for Responsible Growth, we also want to hear from the rest of the community because it’s the community who will be using and benefiting from this great project. More restaurant and retail choices, more jobs in the city, and more housing in the walkable downtown. The community’s opinion and support are crucial in getting this project approved and moving Delafield forward. 

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Thank you to everyone who came out to support the project at the April Plan Commission meeting. We appreciate the feedback from the Plan Commission, the citizens and all those who spoke. There were many constructive conversations and we’re excited to bring updated plans incorporating these changes to a Plan Commission meeting for a vote. Please come out and show your support at our next Plan Commission meeting where we’ll present our updated plans.